


Not So Lonely

by just_a_girl16



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:56:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4260693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_a_girl16/pseuds/just_a_girl16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss has no one to go home to for Thanksgiving break. She has accepted her fate as the only person left at Capitol University (CU) until she runs into a familiar face from her hometown. Maybe she doesn't have to be so lonely after all. Everlark college AU. Trigger warnings: mentions of child abuse and extreme hunger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not So Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my contribution to S2SL this year. It took an anonymous reader asking everlarkficquestions on Tumblr about my story for me to realize I never posted my story. Sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoy!

She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. Of all the scenarios that her mind came up with, this was NOT one of them. Katniss Everdeen had just gotten off the phone with her little sister Prim who told her she accepted Hazelle’s invitation to go with her family to California over Thanksgiving. Normally, Katniss would have put up more of a fight, even though Prim’s happiness is all she ever strived for. However, when Prim had mentioned touring potential college campuses, Katniss caved. She knew it was Prim’s dream to attend USC and the opportunity to _not_ have to fork over thousands of dollars on airfare and hotel was too alluring for Katniss to deny.

 

Even so, this left Katniss with a less-than-ideal situation: no one to go home to for Thanksgiving. ‘ _I guess I’ll be staying in the dorms, alone, AGAIN,’_ she thought. Her roommate Johanna is already packing up when she notices the dejected look on Katniss’ face.

 

“Uh oh, am I going to have to pull out my bottle of Grey Goose again?” Johanna asks with an overly-exaggerated pout on her lips. When no reply comes from Katniss, she sighs and asks in a more caring tone, “Ok, what happened?”

 

Katniss goes on to retell her conversation with Prim and the predicament that she’s now in.

 

“You _do_ know no one is going to force you out of the dorms, right?” Johanna asks.

 

“I know that!” Katniss exasperates. “But I just don’t _want_ to stay alone in the dorms again! Last time it was only three days and I almost lost my mind cuz of how bored I was! This time, I’ll be the only person on this ENTIRE campus for FIVE FULL DAYS!!”

 

Katniss had stayed behind during the short 3-day fall break earlier in the semester since well over a hundred people that stayed behind on campus, so the dorms didn’t feel deserted. Not to mention the rec center where she works offered extra hours and she is in no position to pass up extra income.

 

“PLUS,” she continues ranting, “The rec center is going to be CLOSED the entire time, seeing as it’s a longer break period! Not to mention the fact that NO ONE STAYS BEHIND! NO ONE!!”

 

Johanna watches as a deflated Katniss plops back first onto her bed with a huff.

 

“Are you done ranting and yelling at me like this is suddenly my fault? Like I can wave a magic want and fix it all?” Johanna asks with an arched eyebrow and a wave of her hand.

 

“I’m sorry, I just needed that out of my system,” Katniss sighs.

 

“ _No,_ what you _need_ is a shot of Grey Goose _in_ your system to relieve your stress!” Johanna counters enthusiastically. Katniss doesn’t react, doesn’t answer, doesn’t move, doesn’t acknowledge her in the slightest, so she continues.

 

“Or maybe five, one for each day you’ll be alone,” Johanna finishes with a smirk. She barely has the wherewithal to duck the incoming pillow Katniss had aimed at her head.

 

“So close,” Johanna chuckles.

 

“Seriously Jo, what am I going to do?” Katniss asks dejectedly.

 

“What about that Gale guy that came to drop you off? Can’t you spend some time with him?”

 

Katniss cringes internally at the sound of her _former_ best friend’s name. Ever since Madge had been busted by Katniss coming out of Gale’s room and proceeded to tell Katniss she didn’t feel comfortable with her and Gale’s closeness, things had never been the same between her and Gale. Sure, they still talk every once in a blue moon, but their friendship can never go back to what it used to be.

 

“Ugh, we don’t really talk anymore. His new _girlfriend_ doesn’t approve of mine and Gale’s ‘close’ friendship. Plus, he always takes her side. I’d rather stay here, dead in my boredom than watch those two suck face, endure her stupid glares at me while my supposed ‘best friend’ does _nothing_ to stand up to her,” Katniss declares to the ceiling.

 

“Damn, that sucks,” Johanna sympathizes. After an awkward pause, she continues, “Listen, I’d invite you to come with me, but my family is a hot mess! I mean, I’m going cuz I _have_ to go or risk facing my mother’s wrath; I’d _never_ subject anyone else to go through it!”

 

“No, it’s ok Jo, I understand,” Katniss answers. “I don’t do well around strangers anyways, so it’s for the best. Thanks though,” she finishes with a weak smile.

 

Once Johanna is done packing, she clears her throat and turns to Katniss.

 

“Well, I’m out. See ya next week!”

 

“Happy Thanksgiving Jo,” Katniss says in an overly-cheery tone.

 

Johanna snorts and replies “Yeah, yeah, you too,” without looking back.

 

It is barely Wednesday afternoon, but it seemed as though every student is in a hurry to leave campus. While Katniss is down in the laundry room of the building, she glances out to look at the parking lot of the dorms which is now 100% empty. ‘ _I’d get out of here in a hurry if I had a car too,’_ she thinks wistfully. ‘ _And go to…’_ her mind draws a blank and she huffs in frustration. She really doesn’t want to think about the fact that she is most definitely the only person left on campus.

 

By 3pm, the laundry is done, the room is clean and the groceries are in their place. With nothing else to do, Katniss decides to go for a run. ‘ _Since the stupid rec center was closed and all,’_ she thinks dejectedly.

 

Once her black spandex leggings and loose coal gray tank top are on, with her iPod on her arm and headphones in, she semi-jogs down the stairs. Her room is on the 12th floor, so as soon as she gets out of the building, she jogs to a large area of grassy field between the dorms and the rec center; her go-to place to stretch.

 

When she feels good and ready, she takes off on the long route: around the empty parking garage, through the intramural field, around the tennis courts, the kinesiology building, the other equally empty parking structure, behind some apartments off campus (she never goes off campus), down between the music building and the theater and through all the different trees and plants in the garden planted by the ecology department. The entire run takes her close to forty minutes, since she doesn’t full on sprint.

 

As she’s nearing the student union building and the bookstore, she can’t help but notice how _empty_ it looks. The adjacent field outside the lowerclassmen dorm buildings looked down right abandoned, as does the building and its respective parking lot.

 

Since daylight time savings had already passed, its dark out by the time she nears the field again. At first, Katniss is hesitant about stretching outside when it’s getting dark. Then she remembers she is the _only_ person still on campus.

 

She is nearly finished when she notices a burnt-orange Chevy sedan pull up to the parking lot right in front of her. This parking lot belongs to the apartment-like rooms available to all students, but for a much heftier price. Sure, they have a living room, a full kitchen and a small patio, but Katniss doesn’t think it was worth the extra $2,000 a _semester_. However, her curiosity is peaked as to who owns the uniquely colored car and why he or she is back. ‘ _Maybe he or she forgot something,’_ she guesses. The driver of the car steps out and Katniss all but forgot how to breathe, let alone think.

 

The guy she is seeing must be an illusion. She is clearly dehydrated and hallucinating. That is the only reasonable explanation for the sight in front of her. The guy isn’t too tall, but he is _very_ well built, with his simple white tee stretching across his chest under a fitted jean jacket with bronze buttons. The rolled up sleeves of his jacket reveal muscular forearms with defined veins that stand out under the streetlight that has just turned on, as if indicating that Katniss needs to get a good look at this man. His dark brown jeans seem to fit like a glove, highlighting his muscular thighs and shapely ass. ‘ _Those jeans look like they were made for him,’_ Katniss observes. His blonde, wavy hair seems to shine under the yellow light that also illuminates his strong, square chiseled jawline.

 

In her daze, Katniss doesn’t realize she has stood up until the light of her dorm building turns on, startling her. It seems to catch the attention of the gorgeous man as well and Katniss makes the mistake of making eye contact with him. She finds herself staring into the brightest pair of electric blue eyes she has ever seen in her life. _‘How is that eye color even real?’_ she wonders.

 

It’s the slight motion of his head cocking to the side and those bright blue eyes squinting at her that finally brings her out of her stupor. Horrified, she realizes she’s been caught staring and can feel the heat turning her olive skin a blotchy red. The Adonis opens his mouth to speak, but before he utters a word, Katniss turns on her heels and runs as quickly as her jelly legs can carry her back to her dorm building. As she fumbles with her student ID, trying to get the door to open, she hears him call out to her. However, once she finally gets the damn card to work, she stumbles inside, runs up 12 flights of stairs and all but sprints into her room.

 

Once she’s safely inside, she realizes how quickly her heart is beating and her shortness of breath. _‘It’s because I ran around campus,’_ she reasons. ‘ _Yeah, I ran around the entire campus_ and _up the stairs. That’s why my heart is galloping wildly and that’s why I’m flushed. It has_ nothing _to do with the guy that’s the_ only _other person on campus and just happens to look like a Greek god.’_

 

She quickly decides to get rid of any thoughts relating to what she saw downstairs and gathers her things for a shower. However, her brain seems to have a one-track path leading back to the handsome man she had encountered. She can’t shake the way he had looked at her, almost as if he knew her. ‘ _That’s ridiculous,’_ she chides herself, _‘nobody knows me out here_.’

 

After the tragic death of her father left her mother in a crippling state of depression, Katniss had pretty much been on her own in regards to taking care of herself and Prim. Hazelle Hawthorne had stepped in as a mother figure to the sisters when their own mom decided she wanted to join her husband, wherever he was. The knowledge that Prim was going to be well taken care of allowed Katniss the freedom to truly explore her school options. After a rather heated argument with her sister and losing Gale as a confidant, Katniss decided to attend the school furthest away from her hometown of Panem; that’s how she ended up at Capitol University, 3,000 miles away from home. By the time she and Prim were back on speaking terms, she was days away from leaving to CU. Panem is a small town where all the kids go to the same elementary, middle and high school & eventually attend Panem State University. Katniss had been born and raised in Panem, and the town didn’t really see any families move in or out, so there was no way anyone outside of Panem knows who she is.

 

She finally hops out of the shower, feeling much more relaxed. In fact, she has all but convinced herself that there is absolutely no one else on campus; she had only imagined things in her state of loneliness. But one look out her window shoots down that reasoning real quick, as the orange Chevy is still in the parking space and she can just make out a single lit-up window in the apartment-like complexes across from the building she’s in. _‘It doesn’t matter that one other person is here,’_ she reasons. ‘ _I’ll just keep to myself. It’s a big enough campus for the both of us.’_

 

It seems as though life had other plans though, as dinnertime brings up a dilemma: in her haste to get in and out of the grocery store ASAP, Katniss had completely forgotten to restock her water supply. ‘ _Of all the things I could have forgotten, I forget WATER,’_ Katniss huffs in frustration. She knows she needs water to cook half of the stuff she bought earlier. From her basic knowledge of the human body, she also knows she can NOT go five days without water, so she gathers her wits, puts on a pullover sweater and walks to the nearest convenience store.

 

Normally, Katniss avoids going off campus as much as possible, seeing as Capitol University isn’t exactly the safest campus out there. Sure they have campus police, but they do nothing to protect, say, a young lady walking back to campus by herself, at night, carrying a large case of water, leaving her defenseless against lingering perverts who hang out far enough away from campus to not be trespassing, but close enough to make students uncomfortable.

 

Katniss is so sure she is in the clear on her way back that she fails to see Cray, the sleazy owner of the pub nearby who thinks that just because he sells alcohol, he can hit on and pick up college girls. It doesn’t matter to him that he is old enough to be their dad. She avoids making eye contact, but it doesn’t work.

 

“Hey there pretty girl, need a hand?” Cray leers at Katniss with a perverted smile.

 

 _‘Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll leave me alone,’_ she hopes.

“C’mon now sweetie, I’m just trying to be helpful,” Cray continues. “I scratch your back, you scratch mine. You feel my drift?”

 

Katniss picks up her pace and tries to put as much distance between her and Cray, but he was not giving up, keeping up with her.

 

“What’s the big hurry sweetie?” Cray states as he finally catches up, coming to a stop in front of her. She is just ready to just drop the water and run when she hears a voice from her right.

 

“Hey! Leave her alone!”

 

Both Cray and Katniss whip their heads to see the gorgeous man Katniss had run away from earlier that day. By the time her brain has processed what her eyes are seeing, he is already reaching out for her and pulling her behind him.

 

“You better go back where you came from before I call the police. You know better than to trespass Cray.” His voice comes out strong, yet comforting and, in a way, somewhat familiar…

 

“What about you, hu stranger? How do you know she wants you in her business? I was just offering a helping hand,” Cray responds.

 

“Bullshit! You’re just a perv looking his next prey! And I’m not a stranger! She and I grew up together!”

 

In hindsight, Katniss is very proud that she kept it together and didn’t drop the case of waters along with her jaw when realization came crashing over her.

_‘How did I not notice?’_ she wonders, completely perplexed.

“Get stepping Cray. I’m not kidding about calling the cops on you. It’s not like they don’t know who you are already. All I have to do is say your name and they’ll be here real quick and you know it!”

 

Cray grumbles something under his breath as he slinks away off of school grounds, but Katniss doesn’t even notice. She is finally able to put a name to the face she had convinced herself was a hallucination a couple hours ago; standing before her is none other than Peeta Mellark.

 

Peeta turns back to face her and asks “Are you ok?”

 

Katniss is so lost in the infinite pool of his blue eyes filled with genuine concern that she blurts out, “What are you doing here?”

 

Peeta’s cheeks take on a slightly pink hue at her sudden question, raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck as he looks away. With the loss of eye contact, Katniss is able to regain control of her tongue and tries to recover from her sudden outburst by apologizing profusely.

 

“I’m sorry! That was _so_ rude! Oh my god, I’m really sorry!!” She can feel her skin beginning to turn that ugly, blotchy red pattern that appeared every time she’s embarrassed.

 

“It’s ok Katniss,” he replies. “I was just as shocked to see you here.”

 

Katniss simply doesn’t know how to respond, so she goes to reach for the end of her braid, her go-to move when she doesn’t know what else to do or say. That’s when she realizes she is still holding the case of waters she bought. Peeta seems to notice this at the same time.

 

“Oh, here, let me get that for you!” Peeta begins to reach out, but then pauses, and raises his hands slightly in the air. “I mean, if you want me to. I’m just offering. Totally your choice. I’m not Cray. I don’t expect anything in return. And now I’m rambling. I’m just gonna shut up now.”

 

Katniss can’t fight the small smile forming on her lips. “It’s ok, I know you’re not Cray,” she replies. A dull soreness begins to settle into her forearms from carrying the large case. Just the mere _thought_ of having to carry it up twelve flights of stairs leaves her exhausted. Plus, she’s undeniably curious as to why Peeta left Panem as well. “I wouldn’t mind some help,” she finally answers.

 

Peeta quickly springs into action, taking the huge 24-case of waters from Katniss. As he does, his hands accidentally brush up against hers, sending an electric sensation through her that she doesn’t understand.

 

“Just lead the way,” he gestures.

 

They had barely made it into the building elevator when an uncomfortable silence begins to settle in. Katniss figures this is as good as time as any to speak up.

 

“Thank you for getting Cray off my back out there... I…” she trails off, not knowing how to continue.

 

“Not a problem. It’s a good thing I was out by my car when I was,” he replies.

 

“Oh, were you leaving? I’m sorry for interrupting you,” she apologizes. Reaching out for the case, she says, “Here, I can carry it from here, I was just–“

 

“Katniss, I wasn’t leaving,” Peeta replies while pulling the case out of her reach. “I went to my car to look for my charger. That’s when I saw you trying to get away from Cray. You have nothing to apologize for.”

 

Before she realizes what she’s doing, Katniss asks “Why aren’t you going home?” She immediately follows up with “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. That was way too forward a-and personal. You don’t have to answer that.” ‘ _Can the ground just swallow me whole now?’_ she groans internally.

 

“I don’t mind you asking,” he replies. “I’ve gotten better at talking about my family now that I’ve been away from them for a while. I’m not going home because that’s not an environment I want to be around anymore, no matter what my mom says about ‘family time’ and ‘loyalty’.”

 

Katniss remembers hearing gossip about the infamous Mrs. Mellark. “She’s the reincarnation of an evil witch.” “She abuses her children for fun.” “If you get close enough, you can see that she literally spits venom instead of saliva.” She is Panem’s mythical creature that parents use to get their children to behave. The fact that kind and smiling Peeta constantly showed up to school with scratches and bruises didn’t help her case any, not that she cared.

 

One particular incident is forever engrained in Katniss’ mind. It was around the time her mom had checked out and food was running low. Katniss always made sure Prim had enough food, even if it left her with nothing but a bruised apple or a piece of toast. There were days where Katniss was left with nothing. It was on her third consecutive day of not having anything more than mint tea that Katniss had her first interaction with Peeta.

 

She had stopped going into the cafeteria because the smell of food made her dizzy with hunger. She was on her way to her locker when she saw Peeta hurrying down the hall. They had made brief eye contact before he looked away and continued past her. At first, Katniss had thought nothing of it, until she saw what was hanging from her lock. It was a plain plastic bag but its contents emitted a heavenly aroma. There was a large, flakey cheese bun that was warm to the touch, a fruit cup, a box of apple juice and the largest cookie she had ever seen. Katniss was so crazed with hunger, she devoured the food without considering who had done such a wonderful deed for her.

 

It wasn’t until she caught Peeta staring at her after school that it had dawned on her. Cheese buns were the staple of the Mellark bakery and pastry shop. Peeta’s haste to get away from the lockers. It all clicked into place as she locked eyes with him outside of school. She had felt so mortified that it hadn’t occurred to her sooner that she turned around and sprinted home. However, her malnourished body could only go so far, so she stopped a little over halfway home to take gulps of air. That’s when she noticed the “Help Wanted” sign going up at the grocery store. Long story short, since Katniss was the first to apply for the job, she got the job, as well as discounts on her groceries.

 

Things were finally looking up and it had all been thanks to the meal Peeta gave her, instilling hope in her. The grocery store was across the street of the bakery, so every day, Katniss tried to muster up the courage to thank him. This was a difficult task since Mrs. Mellark was always present. It wasn’t until the day she saw Mrs. Mellark leave the shop and Peeta manning the counter that she decided it was time. She had an entire speech memorized to say to him, but she never got that far.

 

As she was still approaching a dumbfounded Peeta, the door to the bakery swung open, revealing a livid Mrs. Mellark. Katniss couldn’t even decipher what insults were being thrown at her by the retched woman; the only thing that registered was that she was getting closer with a threatening look on her pinched, red face. The hand holding her umbrella was poised in the air and it finally registered that the witch was getting ready to strike; to strike _her._ The next minute was a blurry whirl; she felt Peeta wrap a protective arm around her, placing his body between her and danger, guiding Katniss out the door and to safety. She was too stunned to react and only woke up from her stupor to see a sight she wishes she could forget. Peeta’s mom was beating him down with her hand and her umbrella, striking and clawing at him relentlessly. Peeta was literally taking a beating for her and all she could do was turn around and run back inside the grocery store.

 

For the rest of her time at work, up until she left for CU, Katniss always entered through the back and avoided working the front as much as possible. She was too embarrassed to even be seen by Peeta, let alone see him. It had been bad enough seeing him the next day at school, with cuts, bruises and dark circles under his eyes that he blamed on a competitive video game tournament with his brothers that ended violently late at night. But Katniss knew better and avoided looking at him as much as possible; it hurt too much to know she was the root cause of his pain.

 

To this day, she still felt guilty for never thanking Peeta, yet here she was with a golden opportunity; she would not, _could not_ let it pass her by.

 

By the time they got to Katniss’ room, she had gathered her wits and turning to Peeta, she asked, “Would you like to come in?”

 

All the bravery she had mustered was shot down at the look of shock on Peeta’s face. ‘ _Or maybe its disgust. Maybe he was just being nice and wants to get away from here and back to his fancy apartment. Plus I think my room is a mess. Just say nevermind and avoid him all break long. That should be easy enough.’_ Katniss opened her mouth to voice her thoughts, but Peeta spoke first.

 

“Yes. I’d love to,” he replies with the biggest, most gorgeous smile on his face. ‘ _God, it should be illegal to have a smile so beautiful,’_ she thinks _. ‘As if he isn’t handsome enough as it is.’_

 

“Okay,” Katniss croaks out with a small smile as she opens the door wider for Peeta to enter. She lets out a sigh of relief when she sees her room is not a mess. She turns to Peeta, who is still holding the water case and instructs “You can just, um, put that down by my desk.”

 

As Peeta squats down, Katniss can’t stop her eyes from drifting to Peeta and the delicious posterior view. His back muscles are visible under his tight tee, contorting to aid his shapely arms as they set down her water case. When he straightens up, she is able to admire the way his jeans hang snugly on his hips, highlighting his bubble butt. _‘Does he have all his jeans fitted to his size?’_ she wonders _. ‘Ugh, I’d love to be that tailor, getting to see what’s under those jeans, measure the in-seam, ‘accidentally’ grazing his…’_

It wasn’t until Peeta starts turning around that Katniss snaps out of her daydream fantasy. _‘God, what is wrong with me? I haven’t even thanked him properly and I’m already undressing him with my eyes!’_ While she scolded herself, Peeta had said something, but she missed it.

 

“Hu? What? Sorry, I zoned out,” she replies sheepishly. Peeta doesn’t look phased at all.

 

“I said, your room is as cold as it is outside,” he repeats with a chuckle. “How do you stand it?”

 

“Oh that? I’ve gotten used to it,” she answers nonchalantly. “I have a lot of extra blankets, so I fend ok,” she finishes with a shrug.

 

Peeta does not look convinced. “But isn’t there a heating system in this building?” he asks.

 

“Well, yeah but we’re right below one of the central heating vents,” she explains. “So even turning on the heater two degrees will leave our room like a sauna. So Johanna, my roommate, and I just keep the heater off and go toe to toe with Mother Nature.”

 

“Oh wow, I never noticed how different the dorms are compared to the studios,” he admits. “Though I should have known there was a reason why the prices were so different.”

 

“Oh yeah, you guys are spoiled over there!” she teases. Peeta chuckled lightly before an uncomfortable silence invades her room as they both stand awkwardly. Katniss tries desperately to gather her wits to thank Peeta for the meal he gave her, but once again Peeta speaks up before she does.

 

“So, um, I don’t want to overstay my welcome, so…” he trails off, motioning to the door. This throws Katniss into a panic. She can’t let him leave without saying _something_ or else the next five days are going to be painfully awkward. Gathering all the courage she can muster, she speaks up as he turns around to leave.

 

“Wait!” she exclaims, reaching out to touch his muscular forearm. At her touch, Peeta freezes and slowly turns back around with a hopeful look in his eyes.

 

“Um… I mean… I just…” It seems as though all her courage leaves her as soon as they lock eyes and Katniss finds it hard to think, let alone speak.

 

“Katniss…” his gentle tone and kind eyes seem to coax the words out of her.

 

“I’m not an ungrateful person,” she blurts out. Peeta’s face registers shock and he tilts his head in confusion. Before he can get a word in, Katniss grips his forearm and pulls him over to sit on her bed next to her.

 

“Every time I think about how lucky I am to still be alive, you come to mind,” she begins, staring at her hands in her lap. “I just… I need you to know how grateful I am for the meal you left hanging on my lock.” Katniss lifts her gaze and the small smile on Peeta’s face seems to feed her more courage so she can continue talking. “The only reason I ran away was because I was embarrassed that you had noticed I hadn’t eaten. It seemed like nobody else noticed and if they did, they didn’t care…” she trails off in a soft voice, averting her gaze to her lap again.

 

“Katniss,” he whispers as he tilts her chin up with his index knuckle to look into her eyes. “As creepy as it may sound, I’ve always noticed things about you. There’s just something about you that has always drawn me in. The reason why I didn’t do anything sooner is because I didn’t want to freak you out or embarrass you. But after a while, I couldn’t put it off any longer. I knew I had to take a chance.”

 

Peeta’s gentle caresses on her chin was making it hard for her to form a coherent sentence. What is it about him that frazzles her so much? After opening and closing her mouth several times, she finally squeaks out, “Thank you… for the meal… for the hope… and for protecting me from your mom. I’m so sorry it took me this long to thank you. I was ashamed and I just didn’t want her to hurt you again. I don’t like being the reason why anyone is in pain, especially someone as kind-hearted as you.” Without even thinking, she dips her head and kisses his thumb. Her gaze rises and she sees Peeta’s face break out into a look of awe as he opens his hand to caress her cheek.

 

“Anytime Katniss,” he whispers gently, rubbing her lower lip with his thumb.

 

His gaze drops momentarily, landing on her lips, before rising back up to her eyes. ‘ _Does he want to kiss me?’_ she wonders incredulously. Peeta’s face takes on a determined look and he begins to lean in painfully slow. Katniss sucks in a deep breath and she decides that yes, she’ll allow Peeta to kiss her…

 

It’s the shrill of her phone that breaks the spell between them and Katniss has to resist the urge to fling the damn thing out her window. Peeta removes his hand from her face and she immediately misses the warmth of it. Hearing the custom ringtone Katniss has for Prim, she gives Peeta an apologetic smile before looking at her phone.

 

**Wednesday, November 25, 8:42pm**

**Hi! Just wanted you to know we landed safely! Thanks again for letting me come to Cali!**

Katniss quickly types a reply, sets her phone down and turns back to Peeta. “It was just my sister,” she explains. “She landed safely in California.” ‘ _God why would you say that, Katniss?’_ she berates herself. _‘It’s not like he cares!_ ’

 

“You know, when I saw you earlier, the first thing that came to mind was ‘That’s not Katniss. She’s back in Panem with her sister!’ To say that seeing you here shocked me is an understatement,” Peeta states.

 

Katniss may not have been the best at reading people, but she can tell he’scurious as to why she is at CU and not back home with Prim, but doesn’t want to ask straight out. For the most part, Katniss is closed-off, but something about Peeta makes her _want_ to open up.

 

“Ah, yeah, not this time. Prim traveled with Hazelle and her younger kids to California, so I stayed here,” she explains. “There’s no one left in Panem for me to go back to.”

 

“What about Gale and Madge?” he asks. Katniss tries really hard to keep her face neutral, but it’s obvious she has failed when Peeta’s eyes go wide and he begins to backpedal.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m being nosy. I just… You don’t…Um…” Peeta stutters, rubbing the back of his neck, averting his gaze.

 

Seeing Peeta, who was always known for having an eloquent way with words, so flustered makes Katniss smile.

 

“Peeta, it’s ok. I don’t mind talking about it; at least not with you. Like you said, I’ve gotten better at it now that I’ve been away for a while,” Katniss intervenes, placing her hand on the arm not currently busy with his neck. “As for Gale and Madge, we’re just not on good terms. They kept their relationship from me for a long time, and when they couldn’t deny it anymore, Madge made it clear she didn’t want me around too much. Something about my friendship with Gale making her uncomfortable, whatever that means.”

 

“And Gale was ok with her saying that to you?!” he exclaims indignantly. His tone startles Katniss; she has never heard Peeta raise his voice.

 

“Um, well I guess,” she says hesitantly, removing her hand from his arm and placing it in her own lap. “He never says anything to indicate otherwise. He just kinda lets her say what she wants to me and then they leave hand in hand. I guess his actions speak loud enough for him.”

 

“Well, he’s an idiot! Anyone who can’t appreciate what a great person you are or doesn’t stand up for you isn’t _worthy_ of your friendship anyways!! Their loss dammit!!” he huffs in exasperation.

 

Katniss sits there stunned. No one has ever spoken with so much passion about her or on her behalf. There was a warmth currently spreading inside her, undoubtedly connected to what Peeta had just stated. His fierce protectiveness is a foreign feeling and she’s having trouble accepting it.

 

“It is what it is,” she shrugs, averting her gaze. “I just don’t get why Madge would feel threatened by _me._ I mean, she’s a blonde-hair, blue-eyed beauty and I’m just plain, boring me.” As she locks eyes with Peeta again, she can’t suppress the shudder that runs down her back at the intense look in his eyes.

 

“You have no idea,” he says reverently, taking both her hands gently in one of his while cradling her face with his other hand. “The effect that you have on people. You are the furthest thing from plain and boring. You are,” he pauses, gathering his thoughts. He finally whispers, “You are exquisite, Katniss. Everyone can see it, but not everyone can appreciate it; they can’t accept what they can’t handle and what threatens what they think to be true. But like I said, it’s their loss.”

 

 _‘Where did you come from and how can I keep you?’_ she thinks in awe. As odd as it may seem, Katniss already feels a strong connection with Peeta, despite this being the first time they actually speak. She has revealed parts of herself to him no one else knows, yet he was still here, still defending her, still looking after her like he always has. ‘ _How can I repay you?’_ she wonders, lost in Peeta’s intense, blue eyes. ‘ _What can I do to make you feel how much I already care about you and make you as happy as I feel right now?’_ Her fluttering heartbeat seems to pick up as Peeta’s gaze drops down to her lips again. As Peeta leans in, Katniss begins to close her eyes…

 

The shrill of her phone once again breaks them out of whatever haze they were in and Katniss truly considered throwing it out her room window. Peeta pulls away from her as Katniss reaches for her phone and sees she had another text from Prim. ‘ _Seriously Primmy?’_ Katniss thinks _. ‘Why do you do this to me?’_ She remembers telling her sister to keep her informed, but this was a bit much. ‘ _No, it’s just bad timing,’_ her mind answers.

 

**Wednesday, November 25, 9:57pm**

**Hi again! Just wanted u to know we’re all checked in at the hotel safely! Have a good night!**

_‘I was having a great night until you interrupted me, little duck,’_ Katniss nearly types out, but instead settles for and unenthusiastic ‘Yay. G’night.’ Turning back to Peeta, she regales “My sister again. She made it to the hotel safely.”

 

“Ah, ok,” he replies, eyeing her phone. “Um, well, I should get going. It’s getting kinda late.”

 

Katniss doesn’t want Peeta to leave, but since she has already apologized and cannot voice her inner thoughts, there is no other reason to hold him hostage in her cold room. Trying to keep the disappointment from her voice, she replies, “Oh, ok, yeah. I’m sure you want to get back to a warmer climate,” she finishes with a chuckle.

 

Peeta seems to be deep in thought before coming to a conclusion. He reaches out, grabs her phone and types something in before handing it back to her. “I put my number in, just in case you need to go out again. I know this may seem weird, but with only us two on campus, I’d rather you not go anywhere by yourself, even during the day, ok?”

 

 _‘How is this guy even real?’_ she wonders, while all she can say out loud is, “Okay, thank you…again.”

 

His response is a smile so sincere with a hint of shyness that releases a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. When he stands up, she follows, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She walks him to her door and as she reaches for the handle, he takes her outstretched hand in both of his. Katniss looks up into his shining blue eyes as he tells her, “Hey, if you ever want to come over to stay, you know, in a room where it’s not 50 degrees, you are more than welcome at my place. I’ve been told I make a mean hot chocolate,” he finishes with a smile. “Just putting it out there.”

 

“I might just take you up on that offer Peeta,” she smiles shyly. Steeling her nerves, Katniss leans in, placing her free arm on his chest. Peeta takes the hint and draws Katniss into a warm embrace, wrapping one arm across her lower back and the other across shoulders. Katniss sneaks one arm underneath his shoulder and the other one around his neck. Discreetly as she can, she takes a whiff of his scent, a mix of cinnamon, cologne and what she guesses is his natural musk. This embrace is so comforting, so warm that she knows she isn’t going to be the first to let go. It isn’t until Peeta rubs her lower back, places a chaste kiss on her cheek and begins to pull away that Katniss releases her strong hold on him.

 

Peeta feels around the door for the handle, never breaking eye contact with Katniss. “Remember, you can call me at any time for any reason, ok?” he tells her with a smile.

 

“Ok, thank you again,” she answers, leaning up to peck his cheek. Peeta’s face breaks out into that breathtakingly beautiful smile again, the one that automatically elicits a smile from Katniss, with or without her consent.

 

“Goodnight, Katniss.”

 

“Goodnight, Peeta.”

 

Satisfied, Peeta opens the door and lets himself out.

 

As silly as she feels doing it, Katniss rushes to her window to make sure he makes it back to his place safely. After she sees him go into his studio, she exhales a sigh of relief. As she’s getting ready for bed, she can’t help but replay their last five minutes together and how natural it all felt. She crawls into bed contently, something she didn’t think was possible twelve hours ago.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_His warm mouth is leaving a trail of wet kisses down her throat. Katniss can’t contain the soft moan that escapes her lips as his lips inch closer to her chest. Her hands are exploring his strong back as her hips begin to move subtly on their own accord, searching for some type of relief._

_“You are exquisite Katniss,” he whispers into her skin. “You have no idea, the effect you have.” He rocks his obvious erection into her needy center, drawing a breathy “Oh, Peeta” from her lips. Their eyes lock on each other as he slowly lowers his mouth to her pebbled nipple. She can feel his warm breath on her tingling skin…_

 

Katniss startles awake, panting hard. _‘Did I just have a sex dream, starring Peeta Mellark?’_ Her damp underwear and throbbing clit were the only answers she needs. She isn’t going to deny that Peeta Mellark is attractive, but she had never thought of him in that way. _‘That’s because you’ve always associated him with debt and guilt,’_ her mind reminds her. Now that her guilt was gone, her subconscious mind was free to appreciate his incredible physique. ‘ _You were appreciating it consciously too,’_ her mind reprimands. _‘When he was setting down your water case, remember?’_

 

A turn of her head towards her bedside alarm informs her she has only been asleep for an hour. Settling back under her blankets, Katniss closes her eyes and tries to drift back to sleep, but every time she closes her eyes, images of her wet dream invade her mind. After struggling with herself for ten minutes, she gives into temptation and slides her hand into her panties, the only thing she wears under her sleep shirt. Her folds are slick with arousal and she closes her eyes, this time welcoming the visual aid of her erotic dream. It takes her no time to make herself shatter with quick strokes to her clit and rough kneading to her breast. Before she can begin to feel bad for what she did, unconsciousness takes her over, lulling her into a dreamless sleep.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

“Wake up, wake up, wake up Capitol City!! Today it’s all about being thankful, and you can’t be thankful without waking up!”

 

The overly-enthusiastic voice of Caesar Flickerman jars Katniss out of her slumber at the ridiculously early time of 6:30am. She groans as her hand swats lazily in the general direction of alarm clock until Caesar’s voice no longer invades her room. Sleep easily finds Katniss again and soon she returns to her dreamless sleep.

 

It seems as she has just closed her eyes when the sound of her phone ringing wakes Katniss up again. _‘That stupid phone is seriously asking to be thrown out the window’_ she thinks. When she locates her phone and sees Peeta’s name on her screen, she quickly sits up, clears her throat and answers her phone.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Good morning Katniss! Did I wake you up?” he asks.

 

A glance to her bedside clock tells her it’s almost 11am. Not wanting Peeta to see her as lazy, she replies in her most convincing voice, “No, no, not at all. What’s up?” _‘Technically it’s not a lie; my alarm clock woke me up first,’_ she reasons in her mind.

 

“Ok, good,” he answers. “Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place. Since its Thanksgiving and all, and we’re the only two on campus, I figured we could hang out, have dinner, you know, typical Thanksgiving stuff.”

 

Katniss can’t contain the smile forming on her lips. She can hear the nervous undertone in Peeta’s voice, but instead of calling him out and teasing him about it, she simply replies, “Sure Peeta, that sounds great.”

 

“Really? I mean, ok, um, cool!”

 

“Do you need me to bring something over?”

 

“No, no that’s ok, unless you want to. We can go to the store in case we need something,”

 

“Ok, sounds good. What time do you want me to head over?”

 

“You can come over anytime you want. I’d appreciate the company.”

 

“Ok, I’ll be over in 30 minutes.”

 

“Sounds great. See you soon Katniss.”

 

“See you soon Peeta.”

 

Katniss quickly jumps out of bed and into the shower. She debates whether or not to shave past her thighs. She knows if she doesn’t, she’ll be more hesitant to start anything risqué with Peeta; the question is, _did_ she want to wait? She thinks back to last night; how in the span of two hours, she undressed him with her eyes and was so close to kissing him twice. Even though it was quick, the connection and attraction between them was strong. She decides to just go for it. It’s Peeta after all.

 

After hopping out, she quickly goes to find a specific set of undergarments; _‘If I’m gonna do this, I might as well go all out,’_ she thinks as she located what she was looking for. She throws on her black leggings and boots, along with a dark orange, knitted sweater dress that hugs her curves and ends mid-thigh. _This is a fall/Thanksgiving color,_ she tells herself as she walks towards Peeta’s studio. _That is the only reason I’m wearing this._ However, she doesn’t even believe _herself_ as she passes his car and easily spots the similarity in color. She’s debating whether or not she’s being too obvious and should go back to her room to change when Peeta’s door opens.

 

“Over here Katniss!” he calls out to her.

 

 _Too late,_ she thinks. _No turning back now._

 

She turns to look at him and is unable to stop her eyes from giving him an appreciative once-over. He’s wearing a simple white tee under an unbuttoned green/brown flannel shirt and dark jeans. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his face looks freshly shaved and his hair is tousled, like he simply ran his fingers through it instead of combing it. The bright smile on his face completes his boy-next-door look. God, this man should come with a warning sign! She smiles back and makes her way to him. As soon as she’s within arm’s reach, Peeta pulls her into a warm embrace similar to the one they had shared last night. He places a quick kiss to her temple and releases her after a brief moment.

 

“Come on in!” he exclaims. “Make yourself at home.”

 

She has barely crossed over the threshold when an enticing aroma infiltrates her nostrils. Taking a deep breath, she turns around to Peeta and asks, “What are you already working on?”

 

“Oh, just the usual Thanksgiving turkey,” he answers humbly. “I prepped it yesterday, so all I had to do was pop it in the oven. Everything else is pretty much ready to go into the oven as soon as the turkey is done.”

 

“Oh wow, you’re done?” she asked. “Here I thought I was coming over to help you!”

 

“No, Katniss,” he chuckled. “That’s not why I called you to come over. Like I said on the phone, I really enjoy your company.”

 

A smile automatically pulled at her lips in response to what Peeta said. Before she could reply, he continued, “Plus, you look stunning. I wouldn’t want to risk getting your beautiful sweater dirty. It looks way too good on you.”

 

She doesn’t notice how it happens, but she suddenly realizes that Peeta has closed the gap between them, not that she minds. Leaning back on the arm of his sofa, she replies, “You don’t look so bad yourself. Definitely doesn’t look like you’ve been cooking all morning.”

 

“Oh, uh, well,” he says nervously, sticking his hands into his pockets. “I kinda changed my clothes before you came over. It’s a good thing I did, seeing how nice you dressed to come over. I would have been embarrassed had you caught me in my previous get-up!”

 

“Oh please,” she snorts. “I’m sure you looked fine! At school, you always looked great no matter what you wore.” She doesn’t realize what she has just said until she sees a smirk on Peeta’s face. She feels how quickly her face heats up as her eyes widen in realization.

 

“So, you noticed me at school? There’s something to write home about,” he tells her with an amused look on his face, his smirk ever present.

 

She knows she should be embarrassed at her admission, but she just says, “Whatever. Yeah I noticed you, but not nearly as much as you admitted yesterday that you noticed me.”

 

Her statement has the desired effect. Peeta’s smirk immediately morphs into a shy smile, all the bravado gone from his form, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“Yeah, you got me there,” he chuckles. “I just wish I was brave enough to talk to you as freely back then too.”

 

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?” she replies with a smile, getting a smile in return. “Now, where’s that infamous hot chocolate you spoke so highly of yesterday?”

 

The loud laugh Peeta releases in reply makes Katniss smile even bigger. She decides right there that she wants to hear him laugh more.

 

“One ‘infamous’ hot chocolate, coming right up!” he replied, heading into the kitchen.

 

Katniss plops back onto the couch, leaving her legs dangling over the arm rest while lying on the cushions, feeling completely carefree.

 

“Would you like a cheese bun to go with your hot chocolate?” Peeta asks through the gap in the wall separating the kitchen from the living room. This gets her to sit up real quick.

 

“You know how to make cheese buns?” she asks incredulously.

 

“Of course I know how to make chees buns!” he replied, locking eyes with her. “I’m the one who used to make them back home!”

 

She gapes at him for a few seconds before replying, “So, does your offer from yesterday still stand?” Seeing the confused look Peeta gives her, she continues, “You know, the one about coming over whenever I want?”

 

Peeta’s confusion gives way to his laughter. “Miss Everdeen, why the sudden interest in coming over whenever you want? Just yesterday, you were running away from me!”

 

Katniss can’t help but laugh as well. “That was one time!” she argues. “Plus, I didn’t know anyone else was left on campus so you startled me!” Peeta is literally guffawing so hard, so she continues. “Besides, if every time I come over, you’re going to treat me to hot chocolate and cheese buns, I’d be crazy to not come over!”

 

His laughter subdues as he enters the living room carrying a tray with two steaming mugs and a plate full of cheese buns. “Oh, Katniss. Yes, my offer still stands and yes, I will make you hot chocolate and cheese buns every time in exchange for your company,” he smiles sweetly at her.

 

He settles down beside her on the couch, grabs the remote and surfs for something entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, Katniss reaches for her mug and sees that he added mini marshmallows and whipped cream on top. She takes one sip and groans.

 

“Wow Peeta, you _do_ make a mean hot chocolate. This is delicious!” she praises, taking another sip. The different textures and flavors of sweets blend together to create an amazing taste and she can’t help but close her eyes to full savor her drink and moan enthusiastically. When he offers no reply, she opens her eyes and meets his gaze. This seems to break him out of whatever trance he was in.

 

“O-oh! Uh, thank you. I-I’m glad you approve,” he stutters out, averting his gaze and readjusting how he’s sitting.

 

She doesn’t understand what has gotten him so flustered and ultimately decides not to dwell on it and moves on to try the cheese buns. The buttery bread feels like it’s melting in her mouth and the flavor of cheese explodes onto her taste buds without warning. Once again, she lets out an appreciative moan as she savors the pastry.

 

“Seriously Peeta, I don’t mind eating this all day, including for dinner. It’s amazing!”

 

“You should have told me that yesterday!” he exclaims with a laugh. “I already put the turkey in the oven to cook, so now, we have to eat it!”

 

“Darn!” she giggles. “Fine, I’ll make an effort to eat your turkey, but only cuz I don’t waste food!”

 

They settle into a comfortable silence as they both enjoy their snack and watch a re-run of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They laugh at the bad lip-synching, admire the floats and cheer as Mr. and Mrs. Clause close out the parade. Katniss realizes she hasn’t felt this happy and carefree in a long time and she lets Peeta know this. He envelopes her hands in his and looks straight into her eyes.

 

“I know we haven’t talked much, but from our conversation from yesterday and the years I spent admiring you from afar, I already know how selfless you are, putting your sister before yourself. I just want you to know that I’m here for you now. Anything you need Katniss, I mean it; whether it be a study partner or a grocery shopping buddy or if you ever just want to talk, I’m here for you.”

 

She feels overwhelmed at the enormity of what Peeta is offering her. “But you’ve already done so much for me. Shouldn’t I be returning the favor?” she asks.

 

“Oh Katniss, you still don’t get it. Just you being around me and offering me your trust and friendship is more than I could’ve ever wanted. Seeing you happy and carefree makes me happy. I’d do anything to help you feel this way all the time,” he declares with intensity.

 

Katniss searches his eyes and finds nothing but sincerity. He’s looking at her so reverently that she feels brave enough to finally voice her inner desires.

 

“Anything?” she asks carefully.

 

“Anything, Katniss,” he repeats. “You name it, I’ll do it. I just want–”

 

She doesn’t wait for him to finish. She moves her hand to the collar of his undershirt and pulls him against her lips. Peeta lets out a croak of surprise that morphs into a groan of pleasure. Katniss takes advantage of his opened mouth to timidly introduce her tongue to his. He accepts it gladly, caressing it with his own. She moves one arm around his neck while her other hand tangles in his curly hair. With his hands now free, Peeta moves one to cradle her jaw while his other arm goes around her back to pull her flush to him. He uses his hand on her jaw to tilt her head and deepen their kiss, taking her tongue and sucking on it before doing the same to her lips. Every tender caress of his lips sends a jolt of pleasure to Katniss’ core and she can’t help but whimper. Peeta answers each whimper with a moan of his own. She begins to lie back onto the coach, pulling Peeta with her, who is more than happy to comply.

 

As she’s about to fully lie down, a loud high-pitched noise breaks the silence and causes the pair to break apart. Katniss has to extend her hands behind her to prevent her from falling backwards. They both turn their heads towards the kitchen, where the awful sound is coming from. She faintly hears Peeta mutter “Fuck!” under his breath before turning around to face her.

 

“Ah, sorry, it’s the oven. I guess the turkey is ready,” he apologizes as he stands up and heads to the kitchen, walking awkwardly.

 

She straightens out her sweater dress before standing up and joining him in the kitchen. The view that greets her doesn’t help her heart rate calm down at all. Peeta is bent over, checking the turkey and pulling it out of the oven, his nicely-shaped ass on full display for her to admire. She’s never been one to check out a guy’s ass, seeing as she hates it when guys leer at hers, but she can’t help but appreciate his bubble butt currently highlighted by his snug jeans. He straightens up and turns around, bringing her gaze back up to meet his.

 

“Well, the turkey is finished. Now I just need to…”

 

Katniss is sure Peeta is still talking, but the obvious bulge he’s sporting is distracting her. She decides that being bold has brought her this far, so she might as well keep going. Peeta is still talking as she approaches him, laying her hand on his forearm.

 

“Peeta? The turkey is more than enough food for us to eat later, don’t you think?” she smiles coyly.

 

“Um, uh, well…” he stutters nervously.

 

She slides her hand down his arm, grasps his hand and begins to walk backwards out of the kitchen without breaking eye contact.

 

“I’d really like to continue what we started on the couch a little while ago,” she requests as they approach said couch. “Would you be interested, Peeta?”

 

Instead of voicing his answer, Peeta pulls her hand around his waist, cups her face with his free hand and brings her into a searing kiss. Katniss immediately brings her free hand to the back of his neck, plunging her fingers into his golden locks. Peeta tilts her face to deepen their kiss and pulls her flush against his body with the arm he has around her back, all while steering her towards the couch. When her calves hit the couch, she reverses their positions, breaks their kiss and pushes him onto it. She straddles his lap, resting her weight on his thighs and reunites their mouths to continue their dance.

 

She wraps both her arms around his neck so she can take control. She pulls his lower lip between her teeth biting down gently before releasing it and giving the same treatment to his upper lip. Their mouths reunite and she coaxes his lips to part so their tongues can mate. Her hips begin to rock on their own accord, eliciting a groan from Peeta’s throat. She can’t help but smile at the effect she’s having on him; he’s rock hard. Suddenly, his hands drop from her hips to her ass, pulling her harder against his groin and Katniss mewls in pleasure.

 

There’s too many layers of clothe for her liking, so she moves her hands inside his flannel shirt and pushes it of his shoulders. Peeta takes the hint and finishes removing it completely from his arms at the same time as Katniss grabs the hem of her sweater dress and whips it off swiftly. Peeta takes a second to admire the newly-revealed skin before he begins kissing her neck with hot, wet kisses.

 

Katniss is suddenly brought back to her sex dream of Peeta and wants nothing more than to make it a reality. She pulls his head away from her neck in order to look him in the eyes.

 

“Can we go to your bed?” she pants.

 

Peeta’s eyes widen momentarily before he answers, “If that’s what you want.”

 

“That’s what I want,” she replies confidently. “Take me to your bed Peeta.”

 

Peeta wastes no time in picking her up and carrying her to his room. Katniss can’t contain her giggles and holds on to his neck. Soon enough she’s on her back on top of his bed as he begins to crawl towards her. She scoots all the way back to his pillows before extending out her arms in invitation. She is pleasantly surprised when instead of kissing her lips, Peeta begins to lick and suck on her neck. She turns her head to give him better access while her hands automatically go to his head, keeping him right where he is.

 

“You don’t know how many times I’ve fantasized about this Katniss,” he breathes into her neck in between kisses. “You’ve been the star of all my wet dreams ever since I hit puberty.”

 

“Peeta…”

 

Katniss parts her legs so he can settle between them, moaning as their pelvises connect. He continues mapping her neck with his lips, moving towards her collarbones. She arches her back at the sensation of him licking the hollow of her throat and he takes advantage to reach for her bra clasp only to find nothing but cloth. She reaches for his hands and brings them towards where her clasp really is: between the valley of her breasts. He undoes the clasp quickly, going slack jawed at the sight of her bare breasts.

 

“Like what you see Peeta?” she purrs as she bring his hands to cup her mounds. “Is it everything you ever fantasized about – oh!” She cries out as he kneads her breasts expertly. He lowers his mouth to her pebbled tip and nips it gently with his teeth before soothing it with the flat of his tongue. Katniss can feel herself becoming more and more aroused by the second.

 

“Reality is so much better than any fantasy my teenage mind could ever come up with,” he replies huskily, his warm breath causing her skin to pebble. “God Katniss, you are so sexy.”

 

He returns his lips to hers and kisses her with more urgency than before. She claws at the back of his white tee, wanting desperately to feel him skin on skin. He sits up to remove his shirt and she finishes removing her bra completely. Slipping a finger under the band of his pants, she undoes the button to his jeans gently, unzipping his uncomfortably tight pants as his bulge became visible, pressing proudly against his boxers. Biting down on her bottom lip, she grins as she glanced up at him, pulling his pants and boxers down to his knees. It’s till then that she gets a good look at him. Feeling her jaw drop as she realizes how big he is and what she’s in for, her heart skipped a beat.

 

“Wow, um, you’re… well, big” she laughs airily.

 

Peeta chuckles lightly. “Glad to know I beat out the competition in that category.”

 

Katniss immediately blushes and averts her gaze. “You don’t have any competition, Peeta.”

 

It dawns on him what she’s trying to say, but he simply can’t believe it. “Katniss, are you…” She nods shyly. He still can’t wrap his head (the top one) around it. “But… but you’re so beautiful and sexy and… Really?”

 

She finally locks eyes with him again. “I guess you’re the only one who thinks so. No one else has ever paid me much attention.”

 

Peeta places his hand on her cheek and leans his forehead against hers. “For once, I’m thankful for the oblivious people of the world. Their loss, Katniss.”

 

“Their loss, your gain?” she grins at him. He flashes his gorgeous smile at her.

 

“Exactly. Now, let me show you how beautiful you really are.”

 

He reaches for the hem of her leggings and panties, silently asking for her permission to remove her last pieces of clothing. She nods her head slightly, and he peels both garments off completely. He stands up and sheds his pants and boxers the rest of the way while she crawls under the covers. He joins her under the sheets and resumes nipping and sucking her taut nipples, kneading the mound not currently being lavished by his mouth. Her hands explore his muscular back, pulling his body flush with hers. She writhes under Peeta’s ministrations, panting hard and moaning into the air. She doesn’t even notice his hand moving south until he’s cupping her sex.

 

“God Katniss, you’re so wet.”

 

She could only whimper as his index finger traces her slit before parting her lower lips and stroking her folds. Her hips begin to rock against his hand, her needy bundle of nerves seeking some sort of relief from friction. He dips his fingers slightly into her entrance to slicken his fingers before finally, finally circling her clit. She’s so lost in the sensation that she almost misses Peeta’s question.

 

“Can I go down on you Katniss?” he asks. “Can I eat you out?”

 

Her clit is throbbing as quickly as her heart is beating, and she can’t, nor does she want to, deny Peeta anything.

 

“Y-yes, yes… Oh Peeta… Oh!”

 

Without warning, his mouth was there, his tongue moving up and down, dipping into her entrance and circling her needy clit. Every time his tongue grazes her right there, her hips buck up off his bed, an embarrassingly loud gasp escaping her lips. He uses his fingers to spread her open wider, allowing him to apply more pressure, heightening her pleasure to another level. She can't hold in her moans of pleasure, calling out his name like a prayer.

 

She feels him slowly insert a thick finger inside her pussy, her wet folds welcoming him. She can’t control the wild bucking of her hips in her desperate race towards completion. Peeta has to hold her down with one arm while his lips suction her clit into his wet mouth, his tongue moving in tandem with his finger to heighten her pleasure. Her hands tug at his hair, trying to keep him where he is.

 

"Peeta... I... Oh... Ugh, yes!"

 

Her vision was growing blurry, her skin feels like it's on fire, the wave of pleasure growing fast, ready to come down in a crash.

 

"Peeta... p-please..."

 

She doesn't know what she's asking for, but it seems like Peeta does. He takes her swollen nub into his mouth, sucking and moaning at the same time and inserts a second finger into her fluttering pussy. It's enough to send her over the edge.

 

Katniss releases a long, high-pitched moan as her walls squeeze his digits, her pelvis grinding on his face with reckless abandon. Her body quakes as his talented mouth continues to draw out her orgasm, lightly suckling her clit.

 

As soon as his head lifts away from her, she grabs his face and draws him into a passionate kiss. She can taste herself on his tongue, but she doesn't care. She just needs to show this incredible man how badly she wants him, all of him. Their kiss is a bruising, passionate liplock, and when they pull apart for air, she locks eyes with him.

 

"Peeta, will you..." she trails off. Katniss suddenly finds it hard to voice her desires.

 

"Will I what, Katniss?" he gently coaxes her.

 

"Will you be my first? Will you have sex with me?"

 

Peeta is sure he's dreaming now. There's no way the girl of his dreams wants him to be her first.

 

"Are, are you sure?"

 

She nods her head deliberately.

 

"I want it to be you. Please Peeta?"

 

She smiles to herself seeing Peeta speechless, knowing she did that. All Peeta can do is nod in agreement.

 

"O-okay, if you're sure."

 

"I'm sure. I want it to be someone special. There's no man more special to me, no other guy I'd rather share this than you."

 

He leans down and seals her lips with his, thrusting his tongue into her warm mouth, coaxing her tongue to dance with his. After a few minutes of this, they breaks away and Peeta can't help but stare adoringly at the girl of his dreams.

 

"I'll be gentle, okay? I don't want to hurt you."

 

She nods in agreement. "Okay."

 

He moves to get up from the bed, but Katniss reaches out to him, stopping him.

 

"Where are you going?" she asks with worry.

 

"I'm getting a condom," he replies. "I think I still-"

 

"We don't need a condom," she interrupts.

 

Peeta's eyes bug out of his sockets. "Wait, what?"

 

"I'm on the pill Peeta," Katniss explains. "I have been since I was 16, at Hazelle's insistence. We're covered."

 

Peeta can only gape at her revelation, once again, his words failing him, so Katniss continues.

 

"I don't want to use anything, at least not my first time. Please Peeta?"

 

He can only nod in agreement; he is no position to deny her anything. She reaches down to help guide him to line up with her entrance.

 

He sucks in a breath as he inches into her bit by bit, her nails dug into his back as he pressed against her slowly but firmly, her entire body relaxed from her previous orgasm. Feeling his lips on hers as he struggled against her barrier, she looked into his eyes and nodded before he gave a final push, breaking through the barrier. She lets out a cry of pain tinged with pleasure, Peeta begins to lay gentle kisses to her jaw and behind her ear to take her mind off the pain and enhance the pleasure.

 

“You feel amazing Katniss,” he croons into her ear as he begins to rock his hips. “I’m not gonna last, you feel so good.”

 

“Faster,” she pleads, her hands hooking under his shoulders. “Please Peeta… I need… Ah! Yes!”

 

At her request, he places his hands on her ass, tilting her pelvis to go deeper and he begins to increase the speed of his thrusts. She shuts her eyes tight, parting her lips in a long, loud moan.

 

“Open your eyes for me, Katniss.”

 

She locks her gaze with his. He can’t suppress the moan that escapes his lips at the sight of her molten mercury eyes, her pupils fat with desire. Peeta lifts her legs to wrap around his torso. He leans down to take her taut peak in his mouth. The change of angle causes his pelvic bone to stimulate her clit and that’s all it takes for Katniss to reach her peak once more.

 

She bites down on his shoulder, her entire body shuddering violently as her back arches and her toes curled, nails digging into his back as she cried out his name.

 

“Come for me Peeta, please.”

 

Her voice is what tips the scales for Peeta. Throwing his head back as he twitches inside her, he groans with a few hard, shallow thrusts, before spilling his seed her still fluttering core. His arms give out and before he crushes her, he rolls over to her side, still gasping for air.

 

She can feel exhaustion taking over and as she's closing her eyes, she feels Peeta pulling her against his chest, his arms wrapping around her in a warm embrace.

 

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

 

She wakes up to the most delicious aroma that she has ever smelled. She feels around for Peeta before realizing he's not in bed anymore. He must be causing this heavenly aroma from whatever he's cooking in the kitchen. Not wanting to wait any longer, she throws off the covers and begins to re-dress. Somehow, her clothes is in a neat pile at the foot of the bed. Oh Peeta, you sweet man.

 

As she's redressing, she feels a slight soreness in between her legs. It's not as painful as she thought it would be; more of a friendly reminder that she was no longer a virgin.

 

She makes her way out to the kitchen and stops short with a gasp. On his dining table, Peeta is laying out a Thanksgiving feast large enough to feel an entire family.

 

"Are we expecting company?" she teases lightly.

 

Peeta startles and turns around, that gorgeous smile she's growing accustomed to lighting up his face.

 

"Hey there sleepy head," he greets her with a strong hug and a sweet kiss on her lips. "No, this is all for the two of us. I hope you're hungry."

 

"Well, lucky for you, I am hungry and ready to eat!" she replies enthusiastically.

 

Peeta laughs heartedly as he leads her to the table, pulling out her chair like a true gentleman. He serves her plate, serves himself and as he's sitting down, ready to dig in, Katniss speaks up.

 

"Wait! We have to say what we're thankful for!"

 

Peeta's eyes widen momentarily before he replies. "Alright, you're right. It is Thanksgiving after all. Would you like to start?"

 

Katniss nods and clears her throat. "I'm thankful for Hazelle, for stepping in as a motherly figure for me and Prim when no one else would. I'm thankful for Prim, the only blood family I have left." She takes a deep breath and looks intently into Peeta's eyes. "And I'm most thankful for you Peeta. You have been there for me more than anyone else in my life. I don't know where I'd be without you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for caring about me all along. I hope I can show you how much I care about you too." She finishes with her most sincere smile aimed at Peeta.

 

Peeta takes her hand without breaking eye contact. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to get to know you better. Never in my wildest dreams did I think you would notice me, or want anything to do with me, yet here we are. I'm thankful for your trust, your friendship and chance to become something more. Thank you for letting me into your life. I hope to share more moments with you for as long as you'll have me. Will you allow it?"

 

"Yes Peeta," she answers with a watery smile and a squeeze of their hands. "I'll allow it."

 

 


End file.
